英文原文

【英文原文】

Once upon a time there was a princess who was very beautiful, but very eccentric1. She announced publicly that she would only marry the man who could tell her father, the king, a story which he could not believe. Now, in a village there dwelt a poor young peasant, who, hearing of this proclamation, went up to the king's palace, and loudly knocking at the gates demanded an audience of His Majesty2.

The king knew very well what the young fellow wanted, as by that time many princes and knights had come on the same errand, in the hope of winning the beautiful princess, but they had all failed.3

So John, the young peasant was admitted to the royal presence.4

"Good morning, Your Majesty," he said.

"Good morning, my lad 5. Well, what do you want?" asked the king, kindly.

"So please, Your Majesty, I want a wife."

"Very good, lad; but what would you keep her on?6"

"Oh! I dare say I could manage to keep her pretty comfortable. My father has a pig."

"Indeed!"7 said the king.

"A wonderful pig, Your Majesty; he has kept my father, my mother, seven sisters,and myself, for the last twenty years."

"Indeed!" said the king.

"He gives us as good a quart of milk every morning as any cow."8

"Indeed!" said the king.

"Yes, Your Majesty, and lays most delicious eggs for our breakfast."

"Indeed!" said the king.

"And every day my mother cuts a nice bit of bacon out of his side, and every night it grows together again."9

"Indeed!" said the king.

"The other day this pig disappeared, my mother looked for him high and low10, hewas nowhere to be seen.11"

"That was very sad," said the king.

"Finally, she found him in the larder12, catching mice."

"A very useful pig!" said the king.

"My father sent him into town every day to do errands for him."

"Very wise of your father," said the king.

"He ordered all my father's clothes, and mine too, of Your Majesty's own tailor."13

"They do appear very well made!"14 said the king.

"Yes, Your Majesty, and he pays all the bills out of the gold he picks up on the road."

"A very precious pig," said the king.

"Latterly he has seemed unruly, and rather out of sorts."15

"That's very sad!" said the king.

"He has refused to go where he is told, and won't allow my mother to have any more bacon from his side."

"He should be chastised16!" said the king.

"Besides which, Your Majesty, he is growing rather blind, and can't see where heis going."

"He should be led," said the king.

"Yes, Your Majesty, that is why my father has just engaged your father to look after him.17"

"That's not true," yelled the king... Then suddenly he remembered his daughter'spromise. So he was obliged to allow the princess to marry the peasant's son, butthis he never regretted, for the peasant's son became a most clever and amiable young prince, and lived happily with his bride and his father-in-law for very many years.18 Years after, when John became the king, all his people declared they had never had so wise a ruler. Then it was that he romanced19 no longer but was always believed and respected.

重点讲解

【重点讲解】

1. eccentric:（人、行为、举止等）古怪的。

2. 在一个村子里住着一位很穷的年轻农夫，当他听到这个消息时，就前往国王的宫殿，使劲敲门要求觐见国王。dwell:居住；proclamation: 公告，声明；audience: 觐见，谒见。

3. 国王非常清楚这个小伙子的意图，因为许多王子和骑士已经为了同样的事情来过，希望得到美丽的公主，但是他们都没有成功。errand: 差事，使命。

4. 于是约翰，这个年轻的农夫被召进了皇宫。the presence: 谒见，（君王的）御前。

5. lad: <口>家伙，老弟（表示亲密的称呼）。

6. 但你拿什么养活她呢？

7. indeed:（表示惊讶、怀疑、讽刺、轻蔑等）哦，不见得吧。

8. “它每天早上能像牛一样供给我们一夸脱牛奶。”quart: 夸脱（液量单位，等于1/4加仑或2品脱）。

9. “每天我母亲切下它的一小片肋肉，晚上这肉又会长出来。”

10. high and low: 到处。

11. 哪儿都找不到它。

12. larder: 食品室。

13. 它从国王您的裁缝那儿定制我父亲和我的所有衣服。

14. 它们看起来确实做得不错。

15. 近来他好像难以驾驭，心情也不太好。latterly: 近来，最近；unruly: 难驾驭的，难控制的；out of sorts: 心情不佳，脾气坏的。

16. chastise: 惩戒，责罚。

17. 这就是为什么我父亲让你父亲照看它的原因。

18. amiable: 和蔼可亲的；father-in-law: 配偶的父亲，这里指岳父。

19. romance: 捏造事实。